Skip to content

Time can divorce us from the reality of people, it can…

“Time can divorce us from the reality of people, it can separate us from people and turn them into ghosts. Or rather it is we who turn them into ghosts or demons. Some kinds of fruitless preoccupations with the past can create such simulacra, and they can exercise power, like those heroes at Troy…” quote by Iris Murdoch
Download Open image
“Time can divorce us from the reality of people, it can separate us from people and turn them into ghosts. Or rather it is we who turn them into ghosts or demons. Some kinds of fruitless preoccupations with the past can create such simulacra, and they can exercise power, like those heroes at Troy fighting for a phantom Helen.”

Iris Murdoch

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Time can distance us from others, turning them into intangible memories or imagined specters, especially when we obsess over the past.

In simple terms: Time can make people feel like ghosts.

Key Takeaway

Stay present, avoid dwelling on past regrets.

Themes

memory time relationships

Mood

melancholic reflective

Type

philosophical literary

When to use this quote

  • grief counseling
  • relationship therapy
  • personal reflection

Key Concepts

existentialism psychology

Questions to Reflect On

  • How does nostalgia affect your present relationships?
  • What practices keep you grounded in the now?
A Different Perspective

Time alone cannot fully erase connections; effort is needed to maintain bonds.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet

More by Iris Murdoch

Explore all 306 Iris Murdoch quotes

More Demon quotes

Browse all 1,462 Demon quotes